Enrile pre-trial set anew

The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division set the pre-trial of the P172-million plunder case against Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile for Sept. 10.

The anti-graft court had to reset the pre-trial because the proceedings were canceled last week owing to the parties’ failure to finish their preliminary conferences where evidence to be presented during trial are marked.

Enrile, 91, is under hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital (PNPGH) in Camp Crame.

His co-accused include his former aide Jessica “Gigi” Reyes and Janet Lim-Napoles. Reyes is detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility at Camp Bagong Diwa, while Napoles is serving life sentence at the Correctional Institute for Women after for the serious illegal detention of Benhur Luy.

Enrile was one of three senators charged in June last year in connection with the pork barrel scam. The others were Senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada.

They are accused of receiving kickbacks by pouring their pork barrel funds to bogus projects through non governmental organizations (NGOs) allegedly run by Napoles.